Meta’s AI Data Center in Cheyenne Isn’t Even Open Yet. It Has Already Triggered a Wastewater Crackdown
City regulators banned the practice after testing linked Meta-affiliated wastewater to a multidrug-resistant bacterium, with no infections reported.
- On Tuesday, the Cheyenne Board of Public Utilities banned fill-and-flush wastewater discharge from data centers after tracing a rare bacterium, Cupriavidus gilardii, to Meta-affiliated contractor Goat Systems LLC.
- Laboratory staff identified the pathogen during February wastewater sampling of the city's reuse water system. The board characterized Goat Systems' discharge as 'significant noncompliance' with industrial waste regulations, halting operations on March 24.
- While no infections occurred, the bacterium is linked to ten deaths in rare cases. Meta contractor Fortis stopped discharging wastewater and hauled it offsite, while BOPU staff disinfected Prairie View Pond and the reuse network.
- BOPU spokesperson Erin Lamb confirmed the board now prohibits all industrial water discharge from any data center, whether fill-and-flush or closed-loop systems. The agency plans to hold a press conference on the matter next week.
- This incident adds to public scrutiny over Meta's 800,000-square-foot Cheyenne campus, which remains under construction. Critics cite water resource concerns while tech companies argue these facilities drive economic growth and support AI workloads.
13 Articles
13 Articles
A Wyoming city found a rare bacterium in wastewater tied to a Meta data center
City officials in Cheyenne, Wyoming, said a Meta data center under construction caused the contamination of the city's wastewater treatment facility.Cheyenne Board of Public UtilitiesMeta is building a 715,000-square-foot data center campus in Cheyenne, Wyoming.The city said the project is responsible for contaminating part of its recycled water system, used only for irrigation purposes.Meta is working with its contractor to resolve the issue. T…
Meta's Massive Wyoming AI Data Center Contaminates Cheyenne's Wastewater Treatment System with Rare Bacteria
The city of Cheyenne, Wyoming, has announced a suspension of wastewater acceptance from data center operations after a building contractor for Mark Zuckerberg's Meta contaminated the municipal wastewater system with a rare bacteria.
Cheyenne Board Of Public Utilities Stays Silent On Data Center Sewer Contamination
Cheyenne’s Board of Public Utilities isn't commenting further on the city’s data center sewer contamination, so one resident took matters into her own hands. Heather Madrid used GoFundMe to raise $2,800 to cover the cost of a public-records request.
Rare bacterium found contaminating Cheyenne's water reclamation plant linked to Meta's datacenter; City Councilman says: It definitely ...
Tech News News: Cheyenne officials have identified a Meta data center construction project as the source of a rare bacterial contamination that temporarily shut down .
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